Ignorance
by Sabrina06
Summary: Phineas never was very good at picking up on non-verbal, or verbal cues for that matter. What happens when his "idea of the day" backfires on him? co-authored with moonlite 1894.


**AN (Sabrina06): Besides the obvious: We do not own Phineas & Ferb... they belong to Jeff & Dan & Disney (thank you). We started a chat a couple of weeks ago and the obvious question came up "What have Phineas & Ferb not invented yet?" We started typing and came up with a few things. "Let's try to keep this rated 'K'." We said... Oops! I hope that you have as much fun reading as we did writing. If not... Oh well.**

**A/N (moonlite1894): The work of two evil geniuses finally complete! This was beyond fun to create! You've already read the ANs, so grab some cookies and milk and enjoy the story! :)**

A bright sunny Saturday, the first day of a long anticipated summer vacation... 15-year-old Phineas Flynn and 16-year-old Ferb Fletcher were sitting down to breakfast. Their 20-year-old sister Candace just woke up and was looking for the entire world as though she's not slept in days. Their father was getting ready to take care of the shop and their mother was preparing her list of errands for the day. "I know what we're going to do today Ferb." Phineas declared to his brother. Ferb looked to him, raised an eyebrow and replied. "Again? Why am I not sur-" Phineas lept up from the table, and was on the phone calling for supplies before Ferb could finish.

Ferb rolled his eyes. 'What's he going to build now? He doesn't have a single blueprint ready, just a bunch of gibberish scribbled down. Perhaps we can finally build something of mine.' He watched Phineas as he plopped back down at the table.

Ferb looked inquisitively at his brother. "I thought we could build something for Isabella. You know to help her keep track of all her patches and those that she still needs. It's got to have computer access to all the Fireside patches from around the world." Phineas said with a large grin. Ferb nodded. "That's going to -" Phineas suddenly jumped from his seat "Ferb! Do you still have those diodes?"

Ferb sighed. "Yes, they're in the garage. Why do we need -" Phineas dashed off to the garage. Ferb looked over to the garage in disbelief. He shook his head and returned to his breakfast.

'Tripwire' Ferb thought to himself. He ran his hands through his hair 'I should probably get this cut… Monday.' He pulled out a piece of notepaper from his pocket and his pen. He slid his breakfast plate off to the side a little before he started sketching out something that looked like a watch. 'I'd like to silence Phineas for 10 minutes. Is that too much to ask? Really?'

He smiled to himself as he finished sketching. 'I really need to make time to build this.' He heard Phineas' footsteps coming from the garage. He quickly jammed the paper into his pocket as Phineas approached the table.

"Ferb? You're not finished your breakfast yet?" Phineas asked looking at the plate that was still 3/4 full. He then picked up a piece of toast and scooped up some eggs and started eating. "That should help you finish." He said. "Phin. I..." Ferb started but was interrupted "Here comes Isabella! Don't tell her anything." Phineas said. 'As if I'd ever get that chance.' Ferb thought and tucked into the remainder of his breakfast.

Isabella bounced happily into the kitchen. "Hey, Phineas. Whatcha doing?" Phineas turned to her and began scratching his ear. "Nothing. Why do you ask?" Ferb rolled his eyes at his brother's attempt at keeping a secret. Isabella eyed Phineas warily before leaning to peek behind him. "Oh, yeah. Hi, Ferb!" Ferb waved halfheartedly.

"I was wondering..." Isabella began while rocking back and forth on her feet, hands clasped behind her back. "If you would be able to help me earn some patches?" Phineas grinned from ear to ear. "Of course I'll help you! What patch are you thinking of?" Ferb's ears perked up at that. 'He said he'd help? Alone? If I can just get out of his line of sight, he might forget that I'm here and I'll be able to work on this.' The older brother thought to himself as he continued to eat his breakfast.

Isabella grinned widely. "Great! I really want to earn my 'Meditation' patch, but Pinky won't stop barking. Can you invent something to keep her quiet for a few minutes?" 'What is she, a mind reader?' Ferb thought as he nearly choked on his breakfast. Phineas glanced back at him questioningly. "Sure, I think I could find something to help." Isabella threw her arms around him. "Oh, thank you! I'm going shopping with the girls, but I'll be back soon." With that, she bolted out the door.

"I need paper, pencils, 5 tonnes of cast iron..." Phineas thought out loud. Ferb coughed in the hope of getting his brother's attention. 'I'm too nice.' He thought. "Phin? Maybe I—" Ferb tried. "Where's my phone, has anyone seen my phone?" Phineas continued. "Ferb, you've got to help me find my phone. I need to get everything ready." Ferb turned towards his brother. "Shut it!" Phineas blinked. "Is something wrong Ferb? I need to help Isabella out with this." Ferb shook his head. "No. You go along and do your thing. I think I'll just... stay out of your way." He said.

Phineas blinked in surprise. "O-okay. Thanks, I guess." He ran off to prepare for the day's project. Ferb shook his head and cleared his spot at the table. He then made his way to the garage. He walked over to the work table and pulled out his small blueprint. 'Guess I had better start with a small chassis.' He grabbed a small blowtorch and some sheets of metal and got to work.

He adjusted the desk lamp and set up the magnification arm. With his favourite pen he traced the outline of his watch. He then picked up a couple of wires and a watch battery. He set to work on building a frequency modulator. 'The modulation receiver would have to be small, and worn near the ears... earplugs, glasses, girls could wear earrings.' He thought to himself as he dexterously manipulated the soldering pen.

Phineas was banging away on the cast iron outside.

After a while, Ferb stretched his back over the chair. He inspected the enhanced watch under the bright light. It ticked away happily. 'Everything seems in order.' He replaced the watch and picked up the small clip containing the modulation receiver. The small circuit board sat safely behind a protective case. 'This should keep the receiver safe when it is clipped to glasses or earrings.' Content with his work, he pushed back from the table and headed upstairs for a much-appreciated shower.

According to his watch, it wasn't quite lunchtime. Ferb looked out the kitchen window and spied his brother working on some overly complicated… something. He placed the watch and the receiver down on the kitchen table. 'I don't think the steam would do the components any favours.' He thought as he ascended the stairs.

Isabella came into the back yard. "Hey, Phineas. Whatcha' doin'?" She said in that manner she always does. "Just trying to put together a meditation chamber for you." He replied from around back of the large structure. Isabella looked around the yard. "Um, Phineas? Shouldn't you be finished by now?"

Phineas gulped as he continued to work. "W-well, almost. Ferb's letting me handle this part myself, so it's taking a little longer." He threw his tools down and headed towards the kitchen door. "I'll go see if he's willing to help." He dashed into the house. "Ferb? Ferb!" He stopped in his tracks when he heard the shower running. "Darn it. Why does he need to be clean now?"

Phineas walked into the kitchen to get a couple of drinks for him and Isabella. He pulled the drinks from the fridge and put them on the table. "What' this?" He muttered to himself as he picked up the watch. 'This looks like Ferb's watch, but why is it here? He hardly ever takes it off; he never leaves it downstairs. Does he need to change the battery?' Phineas looked at the microwave for the time. 'Two minute difference, not enough to worry about.' He pressed the button on the watch and smiled. 'I remember when he got this watch, it came with a 50 page instruction manual. He studied that for a whole week.' The receiver started to flash a blue light.

He picked up the flashing receiver. "What in the world?" Suddenly he couldn't hear the shower running. "Finally!" He set the devices down and popped open the drinks. He raised an eyebrow, as the tabs made no sound. He inspected the cans curiously. He gave them a thump, still hearing nothing. 'What's going on?' He looked to the watch and receiver. He picked them back up cautiously. 'Is it this thing?' He hit the button again. The sounds of the running shower returned. He reached over and thumped the cans. A hollow thud thud resonated from the cans. "No way!"

With the watch and receiver in hand Phineas tore off up the stairs, almost tripping on the top step where the carpet had pulled away a little. He banged on the bathroom door. "Ferb! Ferb!" He hollered. Candace stormed out of her room, phone in hand. "What are you doing now?" She yelled. "I'm trying to get Ferb... He needs to explain something to me." Phineas said.

Candace rolled her eyes. "I don't want to know, but keep it down. Jeremy and I are trying to get things settled for our wedding. If I can't get this dress ordered because of your noise, you are going d-o-w-n, DOWN!" She slammed the door shut. Phineas stared at the door. "Um, okay?" He turned to resume his knocking. He heard the shower stop and the door flung open.

There stood Ferb, in his robe, looking as though he could throttle someone. "What's this?" Phineas asked holding the watch and receiver out. "Nothing of your concern." Ferb replied, eyes narrowed dangerously, reaching out for it. Phineas pulled his hand away. "I think I'm going to show this to Isabella." Phineas turned and headed for the stairs. Ferb followed. "Phineas." He said. "Phineas!" He yelled. "Get back here. That's my watch!"

Phineas dashed out the back door. He barely stopped in time to keep from hitting Isabella. "Woah, Phineas, what's gotten into you?" He held up the device excitedly. "I have the solution to your problem!" He grabbed her arm and fastened the watch around her wrist. He then clipped the receiver to her shirt. "Just press the button on the watch and you won't hear a thing until you press it again." Isabella stared at the watch in wonder. She pressed the button and saw the receiver flash. She looked up to Phineas. His mouth was moving, but she heard nothing. She smiled. "It works!" She turned and watched birds and cars pass by silently. As she did, Ferb bounded angrily out of the house.

Isabella squealed in joy. Then she saw the two brothers having what appeared to be a heated argument about something. Phineas got into Ferb's face and the later shoved him back knocking him into Isabella and bumping the clip off her shirt. She bent down to retrieve it from the lawn, when Phineas stumbled backwards over her.

"Phineas!" Isabella pressed the button again, hearing Phineas growl from the ground. She bent down and helped him to his feet. Ferb scoffed and turned back to the house. When he reached the back door, he turned back and glared heavily at his brother. "Next time your 'girlfriend' needs something, don't even think about crawling to me for help." Phineas winced as Ferb slammed the door.

"What was that all about?" Isabella asked genuinely concerned. 'Did Ferb just call me Phineas' girlfriend?' She thought. "I don't know." Phineas said as he looked incredulously at the house. "Well, thanks for the watch Phineas. Though, it's more of a guy's watch." Isabella said as she headed over to the back gate. "See you later." Phineas said as he headed to the back door.

Ferb had changed into jeans and a shirt; he was now sitting down on the steps. "Phineas." He said in a quiet voice. "Where is my watch?"

Phineas rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well...um... I-Isabella...sort of...took it." Ferb stood abruptly. "She WHAT!?" Phineas put his hands up defensively. "Don't worry, bro. I'll get it back when she's finished." Ferb got in Phineas' face. "You had no right to touch my watch, let alone let someone else take it. I want it back now." Phineas said nothing, but gulped. Ferb scowled, turned on his heels, and charged up the steps. Phineas sighed as Ferb slammed the door to his room. "What have I done this time?"

Phineas pulled out his phone and sent a text to Isabella.

Ferb leaned against the door to his bedroom, eyes closed. 'Calm down. It's not her fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have left my watch out where just anyone could grab it.' He slammed his fist against the door. "Cac! Why am I so stupid?"

There was a thump on the door. Ferb whirled around and opened it fully expecting to see his brother. There stood his sister, finger pointing directly at him. "I thought I told you to keep it down!" She yelled at him. "I thought I told you to GET OUT!" Ferb bellowed as he slammed the door.

Candace stared at the door in confusion. She stomped downstairs and found Phineas pacing the kitchen. "Hey, you! What's wrong with Ferb?" Phineas stopped and looked at his sister. "He's still a little mad. Don't worry, we're getting it straightened out." Candace sighed and walked to the front door. "You better. I'm going to Jeremy's since, apparently, everyone has the need to scream and SLAM DOORS!" She grabbed her purse and slammed the door behind her. Moments later, there was a light knock on the door.

"That's not funny Candace!" Phineas yelled as he approached the door and opened it. "Oh, hey Isabella." He said in a calmer tone. "I got your message." She said. "Uh, yeah, right. Come on in." Phineas stammered and stood aside allowing passage. "So, umm. Do you still have the watch?" He inquired. "I've got the watch right here, but Pinky didn't like the clip. She took it and ran away with it." Isabella said. Phineas closed his eyes tight and when he opened them again he shot a worried glance up the stairs. "This isn't your watch is it Phineas." She said. He shook his head. "It's Ferb's." Isabella looked up the stairs. "Maybe I should go have a talk with him." She suggested.

Phineas pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you think you can get him to talk without screaming, be my guest." Isabella made her way to the steps. Halfway up, she turned and winked. "Never underestimate a woman's touch." When she disappeared up the stairs, Phineas shook his head. "I don't even want to know." Isabella walked down the hall until she reached the door yielding a small Union Jack. She knocked gently on the door. "Ferb? It's Isabella. May I come in?"

He looked at the door. He only heard one set of footfalls in the hallway. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Sure enough, she was the only one in the hallway. He stepped to the side to let her in. "I'm sorry. I didn't know this was your watch." She said gently while holding it out to him. Ferb took the watch and held it for a moment before putting it in his pocket. "Pinky took the clip. She didn't like it." Isabella stated. Ferb looked to the floor. "No, I don't suppose she would." Isabella cocked her head to the side, slightly irritated yet curious. "What do you mean by that?" Ferb looked at her. "The high frequency transmission of the device. It was probably bothering her."

Isabella's mouth formed an "o" and she nodded slowly. She began playing with her fingers. "Again, I'm really sorry. I should have asked Phineas where it came from before running off with it." Ferb held up his hand and began walking back to his bed. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have been so stupid as to leave it on the table." He sighed and plopped on the bed, running both hands down his face before propping his elbows on his knees. Isabella walked over and stood beside the bed. "Want to talk about it?" Ferb gave her blank look. She leaned forward until she was eye level with him. She tilted her head slightly. "It isn't just about the watch, is it?" He closed his eyes…

****FLASHBACK: LAST NIGHT****

'Finally, I've got the house to myself for the evening.' Ferb thought as he rummaged through the fridge for something to eat. 'Everyone went out for dinner. I guess I could have called them and said my date fell through and I could have joined them, oh well.' He grabbed some left over pasta and sauce, heated it up and went into the living room.

He heard the car pull in shortly thereafter. 'Strange...' He sat up and turned the volume of the television down, he was watching one of his favourite programs. "Can't you two agree on anything?" Linda complained to her mostly grown children as she ushered them into the house. "But MOM!" Candace started and glared at her biological brother. "I don't want to hear it." Lawrence said. Ferb stealthily took his dishes into the kitchen. "I really didn't care where we went." Phineas started. "I just said I wasn't very hungry."

Phineas then sat on the couch and started changing the channels. Ferb came back into the living room. "I see you're deciding if there's anything you might want to watch?" He said, Phineas nodded then whipped his head around. "You're home?" Ferb looked around 'sarcasm or not... No.' "Apparently. You can watch whatever you want I guess. There really wasn't anything on." He said and left the room.

Ferb made his way to the den and was lounging on the couch, reading a book when his brother came in. Phineas picked up one of the guitars from the stand beside the couch and started playing. He faltered on a chord and sat heavily onto the couch, onto Ferb's foot. Phineas leapt up and Ferb swung his legs over so he was in a seated position. "I didn't see you there." Phineas said. Ferb looked skyward, sighed then replied. "Obviously." Ferb then rubbed his sore foot. "Ferb?" Phineas inquired. Ferb looked over to his brother and raised an eyebrow. "Why is Candace so moody these days?" Ferb thought for a moment. "Could be anything really. Stress from class. Wedding stress. Maybe our very existence has disrupted her way of thinking right from wrong." He said then stood up to leave. "Why? Why does she stress so much?" Phineas asked. "The simple answer is 'Candace is Candace and we are us'." Ferb pointed out and left the den.

Ferb ascended the stairs to his room; he flopped down on the bed and tried relaxing, and started reading his book. The door burst open. "I know it's in here somewhere." Candace said as she stormed in and started looking around for something. Ferb sprung up from a prone to standing position so fast he startled his sister. "THAT'S IT!" He roared. "You people have been home for barely an hour and I can't watch a simple television program, I can't relax in the den and apparently MY OWN BEDROOM is not off-limits to you!" Phineas stood frozen in the doorway. Ferb was seething mad and the look on his siblings faces indicated that maybe his point was getting across. "Just because you guys..." He said pointing at Candace then Phineas. "Can't figure out what to do with your Friday night, doesn't mean that I..." Candace looked at him as though seeing him for the first time. "You're supposed to be out tonight!" She yelled back. Phineas stood rooted to the spot, he's seen his brother mad before and it's not pretty. "My date stood me up! Are you happy! So, instead of wandering around looking like a loser, I decided to come home! Then you people show up and can't stay quiet, nor can you stay away from me!" Ferb paused for a moment to let his tirade sink in. "GET OUT!"

****END FLASHBACK****

He shook his head then put his head in his hands. Isabella sat beside him and lightly tugged on his wrist. He glanced sideways at her and raised an eyebrow. She smiled at him then said. "Hey, you know you can talk to me right? I mean, I've talked about my problems to you enough times." He sat up straighter and looked at her sitting there beside him.

He gulped as he began to speak. "I...I just...it's kind of hard to explain." Isabella folded her legs under herself to get comfortable, letting him know she was willing to listen as long as he was willing to talk. He took a deep breath and continued. "It's always been like this. He gets credit for everything we do; everything I do. It's like I don't even exist when Phineas is involved. It's like I'm freaking no one." He threw his hands in the air and fell back on the bed.

She sat there, picked up his hand and started playing with it. "You made the watch." She whispered. "Enhanced." Ferb corrected. "It was just a regular watch until this morning." Isabella nodded. "What made you 'enhance' the watch in the first place? Was it what I said?" Ferb smiled slightly. "No. I was going to do this anyhow. I needed... to... escape." He said, pulled the watch out of his pocket and rolled onto his side resting his head in a hand. "Here is the activation button. The clip was intended to be worn on or near the ear." He glanced up and saw her smiling at him, she had moved into a similar position facing him. "What did you feel the need to escape from?" He cocked his eyebrow and smirked.

"I have a hyper-active little brother who feels the need to build something absolutely extraordinary every single day regardless of circumstances. I wanted to escape homework." Isabella cracked a smile and slapped Ferb's arm. "You don't have to be sarcastic about." Her face fell to one of pity. "I never knew it hurt you so badly." He eyed her with as much seriousness as he could muster. "It's not like anyone asked."

"Ferb. I'm so sorry." She said, trying to catch his eye. He looked to the window. "Even if anyone did ask, it's not as though I'd be able to say anything." She reached over and moved a few strands of his hair. "That's not true. We always listen when you've got something to say." She said. He sat up quickly. "Really? I don't believe this! I'm always gett-" He tried explaining before getting interrupted by Isabella. "It's true. We do listen to you. I li-" Ferb's eyes went wide and he shook his head in exasperation. "Y-You just interrupted me. Just like Phineas, just like everyone else."

Isabella clamped her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry." Ferb scowled and rustled his hair in frustration. He stood and took a deep, calming breath. "No, it's not your fault." He placed one hand on his hip and covered his face with the other. Isabella looked at him, concern taking over. "Ferb..." She stood to comfort him. Her legs tingled in their sleep and buckled. She flailed her arms as she fell forward, bumping into Ferb.

He caught her and steadied her. "Are you okay Isabella?" He inquired. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest. "Yes." She said weakly trying to keep herself from sobbing. "I'm so, so sorry Ferb. I can't believe I did that to you. Even after you said it-" She started crying. Ferb rested his cheek on her head. "There, there. Don't cry." He tilted her face towards his and wiped away the tears. "After 12 years, I'm used to it." He said sadly. Isabella blinked at him. "No. That's not something one should have to get used to."

Ferb smiled softly down at her. He brushed aside a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Well, there's no need for you to cry over it now. What's done is done. All we can do now is move forward." Isabella stared at him for a moment before returning his smile. "Strong, encouraging words. Glad I haven't lost that side of you." They watched each other intently and, slowly, the gap between them began to close.

"Isab-" He started before she stood on the balls of her feet and closed the gap completely. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against himself. Her mind was screaming at her to continue yet at the same time stop. Ferb moved forward a little and Isabella followed his lead and took a shuffled step backwards. They fell onto the bed. Ferb's eyes shot open. "I - I'm-" He tried. Isabella smiled at him and pulled him forward and crashed their lips together. He pulled away again and placed a finger on her lips. "If this is what you want..." She nodded. 'What I want? Yes! What I need? Oh, yes! What he deserves? Most definitely!' She thought then spoke. "Yes. It is." She said. "Then allow me." He lightly brushed his lips against hers then deepened the kiss into a very passionate one that she obviously had never experienced before.

They lost themselves in the moment. Isabella blushed as his experienced lips moved against hers. Every time their lips separated, she pushed herself into him. Ferb rolled onto his back, pulling Isabella on top, their lips remaining locked. After a few moments, Isabella pulled back. She used her hands to prop herself up. They smiled at each other, both breathing heavily. Suddenly, a chill went down Isabella's spine, as if she were being watched. She turned her head to the door and froze. Ferb raised an eyebrow at her. He propped himself on his elbows to see the door. Phineas' hand dropped limply from the door. His face turned a dark shade of red and his jaw was nearly on the floor. The three remained silent for a while, until Ferb cleared his throat. "Do you need anything, Phineas?"

"Ferb! You are a bleather!" Phineas yelled at his brother. Isabella sat up. Ferb sat up. "Really? I'm a bleather? Phineas, if you're actually trying to insult me, might I suggest you get your terms straight?" Ferb calmly replied with an amused tone to his voice. "I think I should leave now. Thank you Ferb. Today was... fun." Isabella said, as she stood up (a little shaky on her feet). "Well? Then explain to me what a bleather is." Phineas shot back. Ferb took hold of Isabella's hand and they headed towards the door. "You might want to look in the mirror for that answer. That's why we're in the situation we're in today." He said.

Phineas scowled and followed the couple downstairs. He leaned against the wall at the bottom of the stairs while Ferb walked Isabella to the door. She opened the door and turned to Ferb. "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a quick peck on the lips. Ferb leaned in and gave her a passionate kiss. "Can't wait." Isabella blushed and walked away in a daze. Ferb smiled and slowly closed the door. He turned back to face Phineas. Phineas glared daggers into his brother. Ferb pointed at him warningly. "Don't look at me like that. You started it..." Ferb smirked. "...And I finished it."

As Ferb headed towards the kitchen Phineas tackled him from behind knocking them both to the ground. "You know I like her. Why? Why would you do this to me?" Phineas started hitting his brother in the back. "I didn't do anything." Ferb growled as he planted his palms on the floor and pushed up, causing his brother to lose balance. "Then I must be hallucinating!" Phineas yelled back. Ferb got to his feet, stood tall (over a head taller than Phineas), crossed his arms over his chest and stared Phineas down. "You've got five seconds to get out of my sight or so help me I'm not responsible for what I'm about to do." He said.

Phineas grabbed Ferb's collar, pulling him down slightly. "Make. Me." Ferb shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you." In a flash, Ferb's arm fell heavily on Phineas', causing him to release Ferb's collar. Ferb looped an arm under Phineas' and placed the back of his hand against Phineas' shoulder blade. With a light push, Phineas followed direction of his brother's arm, slamming chest first into the wall. Ferb quickly grabbed Phineas' hand and twisted it to the middle of his back. To ensure he was immobile, Ferb pushed his knee slightly into the back of Phineas'. Phineas struggled against his brother. "Let me go." Ferb examined the nails on his free hand. "Not until you calm down." He heard Phineas take in a couple of rough breaths and felt him go limp. "Fine." Ferb smirked and released him. Phineas rubbed the shoulder of his previously twisted arm. Ferb continued into the kitchen.

'It's true. I know he likes her. But she was flirting with me all afternoon. Maybe she just gave up on him; it has been seven years after all. Besides, she's the one who initiated the kiss. I even stopped and asked her if that's what she wanted. She said, "Yes. It is."' Ferb thought to himself then slammed his fist onto the countertop making the dishes rattle. "Who's breaking everything in the kitchen?" Linda called from the living room. She just came in from running her errands for the day. "It was a spider Mum. Don't worry, I got it." Ferb lied, then turned on the kitchen tap to pretend to wash his hands.

He watched the water escape down the drain. 'Hate to say it, Phin, but once again you're trying to take something that belongs to me.' He turned off the water and headed towards the stairs. Linda walked in with the mail. "Ferb, hon, you and Phineas got some letters from a few colleges. Man, are they starting early or what? This stack is yours, and could you take this stack to Phineas?" Ferb nodded and grabbed the stacks of letters. He sorted through his stack as he walked up stairs. He knocked once on Phineas' door. "Mum told me to bring these letters up to you."

He started to turn the knob then paused. 'He's not impressed with me at the moment.' "Phineas? I've got the post for you." Ferb said, he then felt the knob turn under his hand. He let go and when the door opened a little he took a step forward only to have the door slammed into his face. Everything fell from his hands as his vision turned white. He stumbled back a few steps and noticed the taste of blood. He put his hands to his face and turned for the bathroom. He tried to look at himself in the mirror and almost passed out. 'I can't deal with the sight of blood. I never could' He thought. His breathing became erratic; he glanced at his reflection again. The room spun and the tunnel vision started. 'No, I'm sixteen. This can't be...' Ferb crumpled to the floor unconscious.

Isabella entered her house across the street. She closed the door and sighed. "Isa? Is that you?" Her mother called. "Si, Mama." Isabella replied happily. Vivian came into the living room. "Did you have a good afternoon with your friends?" Isabella looked at her mother with a goofy grin. "Oh, yes. I had a good time." She giggled and made her way towards her room. "You see? It just took a little time before he noticed. I told you everything was going to work out if you were just patient." Vivian said smiling at her daughter. Isabella stopped on the stairs and turned around. "What are you talking about?" She asked. Her mother perplexedly looked at her. "Phineas of course. He finally noticed that you like him." Isabella's eyes went wide and her demeanor turned a full 180. "Well, Phineas did notice..." She started as Vivian headed over to her daughter to give her a hug. "He noticed that Ferb and I were kissing."

Vivian's eyes went wide and her jaw hit the floor. Isabella eyed her mother nervously. Vivian's hands flew up to grasp both sides of her head. "Oy caramba, Isa! Te has vuelto loco? I thought Phineas was su corazón. What happened?" Isabella stared in thought. 'What did happen?' She lowered her eyes to the floor. "I...I don't know." Vivian settled down and looked softly at her daughter as she continued. "It just sort of...happened. A small part of me wanted to stop. It wanted to save the moment for Phineas, but more of me wanted, NO, needed Ferb more than anything." Isabella looked up at her mother. "Is that a bad thing?" Vivian chuckled and shook her head. "No, hija, you're just experiencing una problema del corazón. I went through the same thing at your age. You are becoming a beautiful young woman and your heart is searching for a fine young man. Who knows? Perhaps you were destined to be called 'Señora Fletcher'." Isabella blushed at her mother's statement.

"Isa, you are still young." her mother told her. "I know Mama. It's just for so long I've always thought I knew what I wanted. Now... I'm not sure." Isabella said and her breath was hitching in her throat. Vivian grasped her daughter's hand and brought her to the sofa. "Isa, my dear. You will probably have many boyfriends in your life. I do not know." She said. Isabella looked to her mother. "I just felt so comfortable with him. I didn't know that was possible. He was so nice, so understanding so... gentle." She said starting to cry. Vivian handed her a box of tissues. "Isabella. Isa. Enjoy being young. Don't try to grow up too fast. Those who grow up too fast lose out, they lose their childhood, their innocence, their sense of self." She said. Isabella nodded, dabbed at her eyes and confessed. "Mama? He made me feel special. Like I was the only one. Ferb paid attention to me in a way Phineas hasn't. He made me feel happy. He made me feel alive." She said then with a sharp intake of breath cried harder. "I don't know what I should be feeling anymore."

Vivian pulled Isabella to her, allowing her to cry into her shoulder. Vivian stroked her hair softly. "Hija, do what you feel you need to do. Interactions between you and the one you truly love will feel natural, not forced. If you feel like your time with Phineas will be spent charming him into loving you, then perhaps he isn't for you." Isabella looked up at her mother, her mind and heart trying to find a solution. Vivian smiled at her. "I wouldn't worry about this too much now, Isa. You're in high school, for goodness sake. Why not try things out with Ferb? If you aren't happy, then you still have your life ahead of you." Isabella smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Maybe you're right." She threw her arms around Vivian. "Thank you, Mama." Vivian squeezed her back. "No problema, hija." Vivian got up and walked back towards the kitchen. As she approached the entryway, she turned back to Isabella. "By the way, if you plan on trying things out with Ferb, keep it safe. I don't want any piececitos de niño running in this house any time soon." Isabella shot up, her face as red as a tomato. "M-mama!" Vivian chuckled as she continued into the kitchen.

Phineas was sitting in his room with his and his brother's cell phones. He'd been sending texts to Isabella using Ferb's phone, as he tried to find out what was happening. 'I can't believe Ferb passed out at the sight of blood. What is he a 10-year-old girl? I mean we've watched horror movies together for years, he would laugh at the absurdity of it.' Another text came in from Isabella. He read it and responded. 'She's really confused right now. Apparently, I'm the reason she... Woah, I wasn't expecting to read that!' I better get back to cleaning up the bathroom, technically, it is my mess. I do hope that Ferb's okay.'

Ferb's eyes fluttered open. 'Ugh, where am I?' He glanced around, noticing that the bathroom walls seemed different. He pushed himself up with his hands, the softness alerting him that he had been moved. His mind finally processed that he was back in his room. A small, wet rag fell from his forehead. 'What the...?' His head thumped lightly. He reached up and gingerly touched his nose. He felt no blood, only the slight taste of it in his mouth. He threw his feet over the side of the bed. He leaned forward and covered his eyes as the room began to spin. He peeked up as the door quietly opened. Phineas stopped in his tracks when he noticed Ferb upright. He averted his eyes and threw a new rag at Ferb. "Good, you're up." Phineas said, obviously still angry.

Ferb lay back on his bed, a newly wet rag over his eyes. 'Where should I go from here? Phineas is apparently smitten with her now. Knowing that, she'll probably fall right back to her old, Phineas-is-the-only-guy-on-this-earth-for-me self. Then again...' He lifted his hand to his lips. '...Maybe she's getting over him. He did make her wait all these years.' He sat up, the rag falling into his lap. The room did a final spin before leveling out. 'I have to talk to her.' He searched around the room for his phone. 'Where could it be?' He patted his pockets. 'Maybe it fell out of my pocket when I fainted.' He headed for the bathroom. When he peeked around the door, he saw Phineas cleaning the floor, small red dots still visible. Ferb focused hard on Phineas. "Hey, Phin. Have you seen my phone?" Phineas pulled Ferb's phone from his pocket and threw it to him. "Thanks." Ferb quickly turned back to the hallway. He opened his messages to find Isabella's number. He noticed a few messages were from today. 'Weird, I haven't texted her for about two days.' He opened the replies that were sent. 'These were sent today, a few minutes ago. That's impossible. I've been resting. Unless...'

Ferb: Isabella, I had no idea you felt this way.

Isabella: Well, you understand.

Ferb: I understand?

Isabella: Yes, we're so similar in so many ways.

Ferb: ?

Isabella: Remember? We spoke about it?

Ferb: Remind me.

Isabella: Phineas just doesn't understand or listen to either of us. He just doesn't get it; he's so oblivious.

Ferb: That's not true. Phineas sees you.

Isabella: 7 YEARS FERB, 7 LONG YEARS. That and he never listens to you and you've got so much to say.

Ferb: I love you Isabella.

Isabella: That's why I've made up my mind to focus on what we might have.

Isabella: WHAT!

The phone in his hand signaled another incoming text.

Isabella: Ferb? R U OK?

He looked at the message for a moment. Then started a reply.

Ferb: I think we need to talk. See you soon.

Ferb sighed and put his phone in his pocket. He grabbed his shoes and ran downstairs. "Mum, I'm going to Isabella's for a while." Linda popped her head out of the kitchen. "Okay, sweetie, just be back in time for dinner." Ferb rushed out the door. He strode across the street to Isabella's home. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door. Isabella immediately opened the door. "Ferb, I was just about to head over. Come in." As soon as the door clicked behind Ferb, Vivian walked in. "Isa, who is...oh Ferb! Buenos tardes! How have you been?" Ferb smiled and nodded politely. "I've been well, thank you." Vivian giggled. "My, so polite." Isabella cleared her throat. "Mama, Ferb and I have to talk, so we'll be in my room." She grabbed Ferb's hand and pulled him towards the stairs. Vivian shook her head and smiled. "Remember, Isa, no piececitos de niño." Ferb raised an eyebrow and Isabella blushed, pulling him up the stairs.

The pair entered Isabella's room. She sat on her bed; Ferb opted to turn the chair from her vanity around to have a seat. "Is something wrong Ferb?" Isabella asked as she looked at him worriedly. He sat there breathing hard; he couldn't make eye contact. "Isabella." He started and covered his face with his hands. "Phin... Phineas has discovered that he does in fact like, possibly love you." She leapt to her feet. "NO!" Ferb just nodded. "No! Ferb you texted me, you said you love me." She cried. He shook his head. "I was incapacitated at the time. Phin was using my phone. I do like you Isabella, a lot. I don't know if I'm in love with you though. You have to believe me." He choked out.

Isabella slowly sat back down. "I...I don't understand." She lowered her head. "You...you don't know how that text made me feel. I thought that maybe, just maybe, you were trying to help me move on from Phineas, but..." She buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I let myself think that that was you. I feel so stupid." Ferb peeked up and saw her crying into her hands. He sighed and made his way over to her. He crouched down in front of her and pulled her hands away from her face. "Hey, don't cry, Bella." She sniffled and looked at him, tears trailing down her cheeks. "What are we going to do?"

"I would never say something like that, knowing how vulnerable you are." Ferb held her hands gently and gave her a hug. "You are not stupid. The message came from my phone, true. Just because I didn't type it doesn't mean that it can't happen. I'm telling you right now. I do like you. Very much. You're a very beautiful woman. You're a very smart woman... I'm not going to label my feelings as those of love right now, because I don't know what it means to be in love." Isabella looked at him, touched his cheek and let him run his fingers through her hair.

"Is that blood on your shirt?" She asked him. He looked down at the front of his shirt and sure enough there were dried droplets from earlier. "Who did this to you?" She inquired. He looked at her briefly, then looked away. "He didn't! Why? Is he really that jealous?" Ferb studied a spot on the floor. "Apparently. You have to choose." He said. "I don't want to choose, I don't want to hurt you. Or Phineas." Isabella replied. Ferb spoke quietly. "You've got three choices. First: Phineas. The one you've been in love with for seven years. Second: Me." He said this so quietly she almost couldn't hear him. "And the third?" She inquired. Ferb stood up then looked at her. "Yourself."

Vivian was in the hallway putting the linens away in the closet. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but this was her daughter.

"Maybe you should have a talk with Phineas. That might help you make your decision." Ferb said. "I don't want to talk to him. He's toyed with my emotions for so long. Ferb? Is there something between us?" Isabella asked in complete seriousness.

Ferb smiled at her and kissed her hand. "I sincerely hope so." Isabella returned his smile. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. "So do I." Ferb wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to the floor with him. For a while, they simply sat in each other's arms. Ferb looked at Isabella. Her eyes portrayed that she was deep in thought. Ferb sighed. "So, what are you going to tell him?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper. "I guess the truth. He had his chance before." Isabella looked deeply into Ferb's eyes. "Now, I've been taken." Ferb pulled her closer and rested his forehead against hers. "Indeed, you have." Isabella blushed as Ferb's lips claimed hers.

They didn't break apart until Ferb's phone started to vibrate and Isabella's mother knocked on the door. "Isa, dinner." Vivian called. "What timing." Isabella laughed. Ferb just shrugged, pulled out his phone and checked to see who was calling. He raised his eyebrow. "Who called?" She asked. "Candace, Dad and Jeremy." He replied. The pair looked at each other, then laughed. "How did you miss two calls with the phone on vibrate?" Isabella tried. Ferb just shook his head. "I guess I had my mind on something else." He ducked as she hit him with the pillow from her bed. They stood up and went downstairs. "Do I need to set another place at the table tonight?" Vivian inquired of the two. "No thank you, my mother's expecting me home for dinner." Ferb said. Isabella walked with him to the door. "Good night Ferb." She said. He placed his hands on either side of her face and traced her lips with his thumb. "Until tomorrow." He smiled and kissed her. She turned into the house, closed the door and sighed.

Ferb sighed as he entered the house. Linda popped her head out of the kitchen. "You're just in time. We're sitting down now." Ferb kicked off his shoes and made his way to the dining table. He sat across from Phineas, who kept his eyes on his plate. As soon as the food was passed to around, everyone dived in. Linda cleared her throat at Ferb. "So, how is Isabella doing?" Ferb glanced up at Phineas, then turned to his mother. "She's...doing well." He quickly stuffed his face to avoid more questions on the topic. Linda raised an eyebrow and looked to Lawrence, who simply shrugged. The boys quickly finished their dinner and cleared their spots. Phineas headed directly for his room. Ferb returned to the table and kissed his mother's cheek. "Thanks, Mum, it was delicious." He made his way upstairs. As he passed Phineas' room, the door flung open. Phineas leaned against the door frame and glared at Ferb. "So, how *is* she doing?" Ferb shook his head and continued walking. "Not tonight, Phin." Ferb entered his room, followed by Phineas. "And why not?" Ferb turned and sent him a look. "We can talk about this later."

"Ferb. Please listen to me." Phineas said in a civilized manner as he closed the door behind himself. "I've been… thinking… all afternoon. I need to talk about this. Look, I did what I did because I was angry. Angry, hurt and upset." Ferb looked at him. "I didn't realise you were standing right at the door when I closed it." Ferb looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "When I slammed it." Phineas corrected himself.

"It wasn't until ten minutes later when Candace commented that the mail was all over the hallway that I knew something was wrong. I checked in your room and when you weren't there, I tried calling your phone... I used Candace's; it must have fallen out of her pocket or something when she was heading to her room. I heard your phone vibrate from the bathroom. I had a bad feeling about that." Phineas was on the verge of tears, this was something he just had to get off his chest or he wouldn't be able to sleep. Ferb motioned for him to have a seat on the desk chair as he took a seat on the bed.

"Thank you for not locking yourself in the bathroom, you were a bloody mess Ferb, in every sence of the term." Ferb cracked a small smile at that. Phineas continued. "You were just laying there in an ever-expanding puddle. I dragged you back to your room and cleaned the blood off your face and just left you in your bed. You're more solid than you look bro." Phineas smiled and when he got no response continued to lighten his conscious. "I cleaned up the bathroom. I had to. It was effectively my fault. I kept checking in on you. I was really worried that the bleeding would never stop. I was scared. I couldn't tell Mom, what would I say? 'I got mad at Ferb so I slammed a door in his face and now he's bleeding to death in his bed because I thought he deserved better than the bathroom floor.'?" Phineas looked to his brother with tears in his eyes. Ferb just sat there, on his bed, listening.

"You've probably figured out that I used your phone. I sent some texts to her. I had to know what her feelings were." Both brothers had water leaking from their eyes. "I need to know Ferb. Do I still stand a chance with her?" Ferb closed his eyes. "That's not my place to say." He replied. "You'll have to speak with her yourself to find out the answer." Ferb finished. Phineas nodded. "I think I know the answer. For what it's worth, I'm sorry Ferb. For everything. You should tell Mom, Dad and Candace that I slammed the door on you and that you were out cold for an hour. You should tell them."

Ferb cracked a smile. "That ought to be fun." They both chuckled. "So," Phineas began, "Are we cool?" Ferb nodded. "Yeah," He extended his arm towards Phineas, his hand balled into a fist. "We're cool." Phineas smiled and met Ferb's fist with his. "Thanks, bro." Phineas got up and made his way to the door. "I'll talk with her tomorrow. I hope you guys are happy together." Ferb smiled. "Thank you, Phin." When the door shut behind Phineas, Ferb sighed and lay back on the bed. 'What a day it has been!' He pulled the watch out of his pocket. 'All thanks to this.' He smiled and threw it on his dresser.

He quickly changed into his pajamas and crawled into bed, happily awaiting the next day. He pulled out a book; he still had a slight headache. 'I'll look at those letters in the morning.' He glanced at the clock. 'My day started 15 hours ago, it was eventful and wonderful.' He smiled to himself. He glanced out the window and saw the leaves of the tree move slightly in a breeze. He read until he could no longer keep his eyes open.

Phineas sighed as he closed the door to his room. He flopped down face first onto his bed. He turned his head towards his dresser. He eyed a picture of he, Ferb and Isabella posing in the backyard. Phineas smiled to himself. 'Looks like I'm a little too late.' Phineas read his mail and listened to music while he reflected on the events of the day, to finally have sleep claim him well after the sounds of the house died down. He flicked off his lamp and let the dark room ease him to sleep.

At some point in the middle of the night, Perry meandered into Ferb's room. Not an uncommon occurence though tonight, Perry was sporting a simple fedora out of which he pulled a clip which he placed on Ferb's dresser beside the watch. Ferb rolled over and opened an eye. "Hey, Perry. Haven't see you around today." Perry's hat mysteriously disappeared somewhere; he then chittered quietly and made his way over to his charge. "You're life must be so simple." Ferb chucked. "You'll never guess what happened around here today." He said.


End file.
